I talked “naughty” to an old lady for an hour.
We talked about all the things we weren’t supposed to.
As she bounced up and down, she said it was the best hour she can remember in a long time.
But the turbulence eventually stopped and our plane landed.
She didn’t want to get off the plane because she was so amazed that someone could talk openly about society, politics, and religion.
That even though it was only a one hour flight, she was lost in time as if we had been talking for hours.
We talked about all the things that we both knew we shouldn’t have talked about.
She asked what my wife thought about my opinion on these topics because, as much as she loved her husband of 54 years, she couldn’t imagine having this conversation with him.
It was such a privilege to talk in-depth with a woman of her age and experience in life.
It was an even greater honor for her to thank me for our candid conversation.
It’s sad that it’s so much easier to have a real conversation with complete strangers than it is with “real friends” on social media.
Social media has created “social media warriors.”
Where people can always find a meme or misrepresented fact to support any opinion, no matter how crazy.
If someone offends you on social media you can just delete your friends, and then you’re right again.
Even the opening verbiage of this post may offend someone. But that emphasizes my point.
As I typed this post out, the brash intro wasn’t initially intentional.
It was true about “talking naughty” and the turbulence bouncing us up and down. As I read that back and realized it would likely be taken out of context, I decided not to delete it but to emphasize it as it complemented the topic quite well.
Few people can take a joke anymore… unless it’s on their terms.
Few people can talk politics or religion anymore… unless it’s on their terms.
Few people can talk about anything anymore.
I never chime in on political conversations on Facebook, and rarely in real life.
I definitely don’t talk religion on Facebook or in real life.
Not because I am reserved about my opinions.
It’s because society is no longer open to healthy, respectful debates anymore.
And I care more about my friends than I do about being right.
